Rig Veda 4.35.5: Mandala 4, Sukta 35, Mantra 5
Sukta 4.35
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Ṛbhus
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
शच्याकर्त पितरा युवाना शच्याकर्त चमसं देवपानम् । शच्या हरी धनुतरावतष्टेन्द्रवाहावृभवो वाजरत्नाः ॥
śacyā́karta pitarā́ yúvānā śacyā́karta camásaṃ devapā́nam | śacyā́ hárī dhánutarāv ataṣṭéndravā́hāv ṛbhavo vājaratnāḥ ||
अपनी कला से इन्होंने अपने माँ बाप को फिर से जवान बना दिया। उसी कला से भगवान के लिए प्याला बनाया। उसी कला से इंद्र के दो घोड़े बनाए, जो तीर जैसी तेज़ हैं। रिभु भाइयों के पास खज़ाना और शक्ति है।
Word by Word
- शच्या॑
- skillfully, with dexterityIndeclinableअव्यय (उपपद-तृतीया अर्थे: ‘कौशल/कुशलता से’)Role KaraṇaRoot शची (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभाव/तृतीया-प्रयोग) अथवा शच् (धातु) से निःसृत अव्यय
- अकर्त
- they madeVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचन (अकृन्/अकर्त = ‘they made’)Role KartāRoot कृ (धातु)
- पितरा
- the two parentsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्विवचन, प्रथमा (वैदिक रूप: पितरा = पितरौ)Role KarmaRoot पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- युवाना
- youngAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्विवचन, प्रथमा; ‘पितरा’ का विशेषणRole KarmaRoot युवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शच्या॑
- skillfullyIndeclinableअव्ययRole KaraṇaRoot शची (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभाव/तृतीया-प्रयोग) अथवा शच् (धातु) से निःसृत अव्यय
- अकर्त
- they madeVerbलुङ्, परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot कृ (धातु)
- चमसम्
- the cup, beakerNounपुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीयाRole KarmaRoot चमस (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवपानम्
- for the gods’ drinking / god-drink (vessel)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; ‘चमसम्’ का विशेषणRole KarmaRoot देवपान (प्रातिपदिक; देव + पान) अथवा ‘देवपान’ (समास) विशेषण
- शच्या॑
- skillfullyIndeclinableअव्ययRole KaraṇaRoot शची (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभाव/तृतीया-प्रयोग) अथवा शच् (धातु) से निःसृत अव्यय
- हरी
- the two bay steedsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्विवचन, द्वितीयाRole KarmaRoot हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- धनुतरा
- more bow-like / arched (well-bent)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्विवचन, द्वितीया; ‘हरी’ का विशेषणRole KarmaRoot धनुतर (प्रातिपदिक; धनुस् + तर) / ‘धनु-तर’ (समास/तद्धित) विशेषण
- अवतष्टे
- he fashioned, he carvedVerbलिट् (परिप्रास/परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचन (वैदिक: अव-तष्टे = ‘he has fashioned’)Role KartāRoot तक्ष् (धातु)
- इन्द्रवाहौ
- Indra-bearing, carrying IndraAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्विवचन, द्वितीया; ‘हरी’ के लिएRole KarmaRoot इन्द्रवाह (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्र + वाह) अथवा ‘इन्द्र-वाह’ (समास) विशेषण
- ऋभवः
- the Rbhus (divine artisans)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, प्रथमाRole KartāRoot ऋभु (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजरत्नाः
- having prize-treasures / whose treasure is victory-prizeNounपुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, प्रथमा; ‘ऋभवः’ का विशेषण/अप्पोज़िशनRole KartāRoot वाजरत्न (प्रातिपदिक; वाज + रत्न) / बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय समास
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): शच्या॑ | अकर्त | पितरा | युवा॑ना | शच्या॑ | अकर्त | चम॒सम् | दे॑व॒पान॑म् | शच्या॑ | हरी॒ | धनु॑तरा | अवतष्टे | इन्द्र॒वाहौ | ऋभवः | वाजरत्नाः । 1) ‘पितरा’ वैदिक प्रथमा-द्विवचन रूप है (क्लासिकल ‘पितरौ’). 2) ‘अकर्त’ वैदिक लुङ् 3pl का रूप-प्रयोग है (अकृन्/अकृत). 3) ‘अवतष्टे’ में उपसर्ग ‘अव-’ + √तक्ष्
- वैदिक लिट्-आत्मनेपद 3sg. 4) ‘देवपानम्’ ‘चमसम्’ का विशेषण (देव + पान). 5) ‘इन्द्रवाहौ’ ‘हरी’ के लिए विशेषण (इन्द्र + वाह)
The meaning
Outer meaning
By effective skill the Ṛbhus made the two Parents young again; by that skill they made the chalice fit for gods to drink. By that skill they fashioned the two tawny horses, bow-swift, bearers of Indra—Ṛbhus rich in plenitudes and treasures.
Inner meaning
The ‘two Parents’ (often Heaven and Earth, or the primal dualities) being made young signifies renewal of the foundational supports of our nature—mind and life, or spirit and matter—so they can again serve the journey. The chalice ‘fit for gods’ is the purified receptivity of consciousness. The two tawny steeds of Indra are dynamic energies (vital forces) trained to carry illumination swiftly and straight (dhanutara—arrow/bow-speed), not wandering desire. Thus Ṛbhu-skill is the power that renews bases, purifies receptacle, and harnesses energies for the illumined Mind’s movement.
Universal truth
True spiritual skill renews the foundations, purifies the vessel, and disciplines energy to serve illumination. Transformation is comprehensive: roots, receptivity, and dynamism all perfected.
Themes
Renewal/rejuvenation, Divine craftsmanship, Indra’s energies, Soma vessel perfection
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.30, RV 4.31, RV 4.33, RV 4.35, RV 4.36
Family tradition
Gautama line hymns often celebrate Indra’s powers and the conversion of vital energy into victorious light; here the Ṛbhus provide the technical mastery that makes Indra’s movement possible.
Significance
This verse is a compact map of integral transformation: renew the bases (Parents), perfect receptivity (chalice), harness dynamism (Indra’s horses).
The deity
- Devata
- Ṛbhus (with Indra associated)
- Epithets
- vājaratnāḥ (rich in plenitude-treasures), śacyākṛt (doers by effective skill, implied)
- Related deities
- Indra, Dyāvā-Pṛthivī (Heaven and Earth as ‘Parents’), Soma
Cosmic role
Perfectionists of the cosmic instrumentarium: renewers of the foundational poles, makers of vessels, fashioners of divine energies for Indra’s action.
Inner power
Mastery over formation: rejuvenation, purification, and energetic harnessing for illumined action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma ritual praise of Ṛbhus; Indra’s participation implied through the making of his steeds
शच्या॑कर्त पि॒तरा॒ युवा॑ना॒ शच्या॑कर्त चम॒सं दे॑व॒पान॑म् । शच्या॒ हरी॒ धनु॑तरावतष्टेन्द्र॒वाहा॑वृभवो वाजरत्नाः ॥
शच्या॑ । अ॒क॒र्त॒ । पि॒तरा॑ । युवा॑ना । शच्या॑ । अ॒क॒र्त॒ । च॒म॒सम् । दे॒व॒ऽपान॑म् । शच्या॑ । हरी॒ इति॑ । धनु॑ऽतरौ । अ॒त॒ष्ट॒ । इ॒न्द्र॒ऽवाहौ॑ । ऋ॒भ॒वः॒ । वा॒ज॒ऽर॒त्नाः॒ ॥
śacyā | akarta | pitarā | yuvānā | śacyā | akarta | camasam | deva-pānam | śacyā | harī iti | dhanu-tarau | ataṣṭa | indra-vāhau | ṛbhavaḥ | vāja-ratnāḥ
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4 × ~11
Strong anaphora (‘śacyā… śacyā… śacyā…’) gives hammering emphasis—skill as the repeated cause.
Instills confidence in effective practice; the repeated ‘śacyā’ builds a mantra-like insistence on mastery.
- शच्या (śacyā)
- Literal: by skill, effective power. Symbolic: the force of conscious mastery—capacity to make will effective in transformation
- पितरा युवा॑ना (pitarā yuvānā)
- Literal: the two Parents made young. Symbolic: renewal of fundamental supports (heaven-earth; mind-life; spirit-matter) so evolution can proceed freshly
- देवपानम् (devapānam)
- Literal: fit for the gods’ drinking. Symbolic: a purified consciousness-vessel able to hold higher delight/light without distortion
- हरी (harī)
- Literal: the two tawny steeds. Symbolic: disciplined vital energies that carry illumined mind (Indra) in action
- धनुतरौ (dhanutarau)
- Literal: bow-swift, arrow-quick. Symbolic: straight, swift energy—will-force moving without deviation
- इन्द्रवाहौ (indravāhau)
- Literal: bearers of Indra. Symbolic: energies yoked to illumination, serving higher discernment rather than ego
- वाजरत्नाः (vājaratnāḥ)
- Literal: having plenitudes and treasures. Symbolic: richness of effective force and realized powers gained by perfected formation
Mythic catalogue of Ṛbhu feats; supports their invocation in soma rites and reinforces their function as powers of renewal and right formation
In Soma liturgy sequences that recount Ṛbhus’ deeds and their worthiness
Eulogizing Ṛbhus’ miraculous works; linking them to Indra’s vehicle and the gods’ drinking
Chant as a ‘renewal’ mantra: for restoring vitality, refreshing stale routines, and yoking energy to clarity before demanding tasks.
śacī/śacyā: from √ ‘to be able’—capacity, effective power (śacī as ‘might’). atakṣat/ataṣṭa from √ ‘to fashion’ (cf. Latin texō ‘weave/build’ from PIE *teks- ‘craft’). harī dual of hari ‘tawny’—Indra’s horses symbolize swift energies of the illumined will. pitarā ‘two parents’ often dyāvā-pṛthivī; renewal implies restoration of cosmic supports in the seeker.
Rejuvenation as restoration of supports (dyāvā-pṛthivī within), Craft (√तक्ष) as conscious formation under Rita
Indra’s horses symbolize energies made obedient to right direction—ṛta in action.
Devapānam: the vessel must be true/pure to receive the gods—satya as purity of receptivity.
Rejuvenation and refashioning: evolution as periodic renewal of bases and instruments.
Vedic integralism: transformation of nature (prakṛti) through conscious powers; gods as functions of consciousness.
Horses = vital energies; Parents = foundational dualities; chalice = receptivity; all are to be renewed and made fit for higher influx.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Three Ṛbhu feats: rejuvenating the Parents, making the divine-drinking cup, and fashioning Indra’s horses. Inwardly: renewal of foundational supports, perfection of the vessel of reception, and formation of swift executive energies that carry the illumined will.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ ‘fashion’ reflects PIE *teks- ‘craft, build’ (Latin texō). This preserves an Indo-European craft-poetics where making/ordering is sacred and world-formative.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi enumerates the Ṛbhus’ powers to awaken the same operations in the inner sacrifice: renewal, capacity-building, and swift instrumentation of Indra-force—an exchange where remembrance (smṛti-like) becomes invocation.
Renew the foundations and yoke energy to light: feel steadiness below (earth) and openness above (heaven), then harness breath-energy as Indra’s horses carrying clarity.
Dynamic clarity—illumined energy ready for right action.
Chant once. Stand or sit upright: feel ‘two Parents’ as stability (pelvis/legs) and openness (head/space). Then for 8 breaths, imagine two tawny currents running along left/right channels, converging at the brow as Indra’s light; act afterward from that straight, bow-swift focus.
Rigvedic accenting; the repeated śacyā should be kept consistent in pitch and stress; maintain clear udātta placement according to recensional marking.
Give a slight rhythmic emphasis at each ‘śacyā’ without increasing speed; let pāda ends settle firmly.
śacyā: palatal ś, not dental s; short a; yā long ā, pitarā: clear long ā at end; light tap on t, yuvānā: long ā; avoid turning v into w too strongly, devapānam: articulate -pā- long ā; keep m final nasal, harī: long ī; not ‘hari’ short, dhanutarau: keep dh aspirated; -tarau diphthong au, indravāhau: cluster -vāh- with long ā; final au clear
Strong, steady, workmanship-like precision; energized but controlled.
3
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